IS M

GAYLE

side me wou

ld find her eventually. My heart swelled with rage a

er hideous plan. My own wedding day. A day that had been forced on me by the elders, yes, but still a day I coul

was

, and before the first echo could fade off, I p

d out urgently. "We j

hough I'd burn her to ashes wit

wait to hear what he had to say next, I hung up immedia

s stupid plan? Today of all days? She would learn

ts la

r slamm

ike some wild creature that had been cornered. Her v

e screamed, "L

eep inside me, though I ignor

ir grip, hurling her towards me and she staggered until she gained balance. She goggled

ext. My hand instantly shot ou

My grip tightened. I felt the frantic beat of her pulse beneath my

hes from hers, "you dare run from

ucking for air. "I

my eyes narrowing as I studied her

usual brown. A feeble trick. A mask. Did she rea

ered staring right into her now hazel eyes. What a dubious piece of shit. "Do yo

ails digging into my skin. She choked, her eyes turning red, bu

mple against the wall, gasping for air, one hand rising to cradle her neck. For one dangerous second, I had wanted to squeeze unti

de her. The marble cracked under the

. Let her tremble. Fear was

again unless you are ready to get buried alive, Ximena," I said, closing in on her. "Because if you do this

lf, arms wrapped tight around her

h my hair, a low growl

... bad luck! Just one more stunt, one more trick,

d on the ground, like even her

in, fingers digging in so hard she w

ou fucking un

she gave a desperate, frantic nod, her

" I sn

her arrogantly. They slapped against her

n th

ght the papers, her eyes dar

ll honor it. ONE HUNDRED DAYS of marriage, nothing less. The pack elders want a union

w and trembling, lips quivering

can't si

per, fragile enough to shat

not X

first. They were broken piece

wisting into my chest, t

my blood boiled, and I swung toward her, my

, rattling the air. My hand shot up, ready to strike

ing it down to her, s

r. Not

ing fa

My stomach heaved, my veins burned as though fire had replaced my bl

e, flooding every nerve, every corner of my being. My vision blurred, my heartbeat staggered, th

o

s could

bo

ed, curs

wasn't the deceiver I

thing far mo

was

m

ld tilted o

mat

ned themselves into my mind with blinding clarity. My body knew

er hazel eyes lifted in fear to meet mine...all slammed i

de. For the first time in years, I felt something

rr

re me, trembling, bound, whispe

ot Xi

my fuc

red'

ot Xim

ulfed with their Ximena trouble to even notice that I was telling the truth. Even th

to my vision through the blur of tears. A hundred days. That's all the document promised. A hund

ntimacy. Nothing but

ontract. I am not Ximena. But this isn't some police case of mis

And I bowed my head between my

he blurted, and I ra

ed. At least one person believes me. Before I could

a scent of something. Was I stinky? "

a wolf," he coug

it. My shame, the secret that had followed me all my life was

that before he dropped

my f*ck

hings I had been denied. My heart should have leapt. But instead, dread poured through me like ice water bec

studied me with eyes that stripped me bare. His j

er?" His voice was low, sharp,

ed to get the word out

scolded and

in fear. "M-Mildr

n her," he barked at Clover. "And find

. Whoever this Ximena was, she ha

und me again, co

blade. "I refuse to be bond

through me. My kn

ders, his face unreadable

Mildred Pierce,

rld st

d I didn't know when the co

hated my existence itself and whom I met under a very traumatic circumstance. This is it? No

he ordered flatly

wanted to fight, but I couldn't even breathe through the hollow

the door b

was commanding. "Your High

ped around.

hadn't been exaggerated. No wonder the

n," the man continued urgently

. The guards, the man, and...Him. T

mach d

furrowed, confusion flickering across his face. "She's not..." He trailed o

ce was lost beneath the ord

ty minutes," the man commanded befo

mind started whir

ed me useless. And now... th

through my daze. "You're go

him, disbelief writ

hat," I whispered

." His tone broo

blurted, the words tumoring

l stand in for Ximena until she's

meant nothing

ued coldly, "You will be her substitu

the door opened again and servants fill

r up," he

ccessorising me. In a giffy, they finished and I stood up, staring into the mirror before me. Mildred... I looked like an entirely

ack out. And

Alpha King. My m

elieve that a man like this was a monster behind closed doors. He smi

devilis

anything just for this wedding to be cancelled. I prayed that the so-c

ed as soon as I got to him but he didn't even flicker

you will obey. You'll be compensated, if that m

n just pick up and use at

is up for me, you won't love to tell the story," he cut in

ened until my f

e," he sa

getting

d a sma